Indianapolis Coltshttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/indianapolis-colts
en-usTue, 31 Mar 2015 17:50:27 -0400Tue, 31 Mar 2015 17:50:27 -0400The latest news on Indianapolis Colts from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/vikings-won-trent-richardson-trade-2015-3How the Minnesota Vikings quietly won the Trent Richardson NFL Draft disasterhttp://www.businessinsider.com/vikings-won-trent-richardson-trade-2015-3
Sun, 22 Mar 2015 12:03:00 -0400Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/523b001f69bedd0a04647574-1200-900/trent-richardson-browns-rb.jpg" border="0" alt="trent richardson browns rb"></p><p>Trent Richardson <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/trent-richardson-signs-deal-with-oakland-raiders-175050521.html">signed with the Oakland Raiders</a> on Tuesday in what could be in his last chance to make it in the NFL.</p>
<p>Richardson was drafted No. 3 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2012. If he doesn't resurrect his career in Oakland, he risks ending up on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-draft-busts-where-are-they-now-2014-5">the list of the all-time draft busts</a>.</p>
<p>Richardson had a decent season as a rookie, got traded to the Indianapolis Colts two games into the 2013 season, struggled, got benched, struggled again in 2014, and got suspended before getting cut in early March. He's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-wants-3-million-back-2015-3">expected to file a grievance</a> to get back his $3 million in voided 2015 salary.</p>
<p>The Browns have been rightly praised (by us!) for selling high on Richardson, getting a 1st-round pick from Indy right before his value collapsed. But when you look at the sum total of what all these different teams gave up to get Richardson on their teams, the Browns and Colts both lost, and there's only one winner: the Minnesota Vikings.</p>
<p>Back in 2012 the Vikings had the No. 3 pick in the draft. The Browns had the No. 4 pick. Terrified that another team would trade up and pick Richardson, Cleveland t<a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/26/browns-trade-up-to-the-no-3-overall-pick/">raded a boatload of picks to move up a single spot in the draft</a>.</p>
<p>Here's what the Vikings got for the No. 3 pick:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">1st-round pick (4th overall)</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">4th-round pick (118th overall)</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">5th-round pick (139th overall)</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">7th-round pick (211th overall)</span></li>
</ul>
<p>Even before you factor in Richardson's performance, the Vikings won this trade. According to <a href="http://www.footballperspective.com/draft-value-chart/">Chase Stuart's draft value chart</a>, the Vikings swapped 27.6 points of draft value for 33.7 points of draft value. All for moving back one pick.</p>
<p>When you consider how Richardson's career has gone, it's an even better deal. Richardson is going to go down as a below-average No. 3 overall pick. The player the Vikings picked at No. 4, guard Matt Kalil, has been better than Richardson. The 4th-round pick Minnesota got turned into Jarius Wright, who was the team's 3rd-leading receiver in 2014. The 5th-round pick was Robert Blanton, who started 13 games in 2014.</p>
<p>The Vikings didn't hit home runs with all these picks, but they got starters at three different positions out of it. This is what smart teams do. They don't chase individual players in the draft, like the Browns did with Richardson. Bill Belichick — who trades back in the draft more often than anyone — has created the value of <a href="http://grantland.com/the-triangle/bill-belichick-nfl-draft-new-england-patriots/">"the&nbsp;<span>first overall pick, the second overall pick, and the 19th overall pick"</span></a> in trades over the years, according to research by Grantland's Bill Barnwell.</p>
<p>Cleveland was able to recoup some of this lost value by flipping Richardson to Indianapolis for a 1st-round pick (26th overall) a year later. They used that pick as part of a deal to move up and draft Johnny Manziel in 2014.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vikings-won-trent-richardson-trade-2015-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nate-silver-super-bowl-prediction-football-gambling-2015-1">Place your bets — Nate Silver just told us who is going to win the Super Bowl</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/colts-9-point-touchdown-rule-2015-3The Indianapolis Colts proposed a bonkers new NFL rule that would invent a 9-point touchdownhttp://www.businessinsider.com/colts-9-point-touchdown-rule-2015-3
Wed, 18 Mar 2015 15:24:00 -0400Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5459126e6bb3f7cc3f6ccb3f-1200-900/andrew-luck-29.jpg" border="0" alt="andrew luck"></p><p>The NFL released <a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000479815/article/what-rule-changes-will-be-considered-next-week?campaign=Twitter_atl">proposed rule changes</a> that will be discussed at next week's competition committee meeting.</p>
<p>They're all relatively minor, except for one: The Indianapolis Colts want to make it possible for a team to score nine points on one possession.</p>
<p>Under <a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/18/colts-propose-allowing-teams-to-go-for-three-after-tds/?utm_source=fantasyleaguegm.com">the proposal</a>, a team would be able to attempt a 50-yard kick for an extra point after they successfully converted a two-point conversion.</p>
<p>The idea is to offer an incentive to teams to go for two more often, <a href="https://twitter.com/PSchrags/status/578260808137891841">according to Fox Sports' Pete Schrager</a>. In theory, it would fundamentally change the calculus of the game, and increase the number of points possible from a single possession.</p>
<p>The Colts want to experiment with the scoring system change in the preseason, according to the NFL. It's important to note that the competition committee is only going to discuss this change. The odds of it happening are, more than likely, very low.</p>
<p>Right now, NFL teams kick the extra point an overwhelming majority of the time, despite mathematical evidence that they should be going for two points far more often than they are. Would the possibility of getting three points encourage more teams to go for two?</p>
<p>The expected value of the current extra point is 0.996 points (since NFL kickers <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-nfl-extra-point-rule-2014-3">make ~99.6% of extra points</a>).</p>
<p>The expected value of going for two is 0.998 points (since NFL teams historically <a href="http://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/blog/2014/math-on-new-2-point-conversion-extra-point-rule">convert 49.9% of two-point attempts</a>).</p>
<p>NFL kickers have made 63.3% of 50-yard field goals over the last five seasons. That means the expected value of an extra point from midfield is about 0.63 points. Since you have only a 49.9% chance of even attempting that midfield extra point, because you have to convert the two-point conversion first under the Colts' proposal, its added expected value is closer to 0.32 points.</p>
<p>So at the end of the day, the expected value of "going for three" would be about 1.32 points, while the expected value of just kicking the extra point is still 0.996 points. NFL teams are notoriously conservative, would that be enough to make them go for two more often?</p>
<p>We'd be shocked if it happened. We'd still love to see it for pure entertainment value, though.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/colts-9-point-touchdown-rule-2015-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-games-tv-schedule-streaming-2014-11">Here's Why NFL Fans Are Getting Screwed When It Comes To Watching Football</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/vikings-won-trent-richardson-trade-2015-3How the Minnesota Vikings quietly won the Trent Richardson NFL Draft disasterhttp://www.businessinsider.com/vikings-won-trent-richardson-trade-2015-3
Tue, 17 Mar 2015 15:58:00 -0400Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/523b001f69bedd0a04647574-1200-900/trent-richardson-browns-rb.jpg" border="0" alt="trent richardson browns rb"></p><p>Trent Richardson <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/trent-richardson-signs-deal-with-oakland-raiders-175050521.html">signed with the Oakland Raiders</a> on Tuesday in what could be in his last chance to make it in the NFL.</p>
<p>Richardson was drafted No. 3 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2012. If he doesn't resurrect his career in Oakland, he risks ending up on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-draft-busts-where-are-they-now-2014-5">the list of the all-time draft busts</a>.</p>
<p>Richardson had a decent season as a rookie, got traded to the Indianapolis Colts two games into the 2013 season, struggled, got benched, struggled again in 2014, and got suspended before getting cut in early March. He's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-wants-3-million-back-2015-3">expected to file a grievance</a> to get back his $3 million in voided 2015 salary.</p>
<p>The Browns have been rightly praised (by us!) for selling high on Richardson, getting a 1st-round pick from Indy right before his value collapsed. But when you look at the sum total of what all these different teams gave up to get Richardson on their teams, the Browns and Colts both lost, and there's only one winner: the Minnesota Vikings.</p>
<p>Back in 2012 the Vikings had the No. 3 pick in the draft. The Browns had the No. 4 pick. Terrified that another team would trade up and pick Richardson, Cleveland t<a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/26/browns-trade-up-to-the-no-3-overall-pick/">raded a boatload of picks to move up a single spot in the draft</a>.</p>
<p>Here's what the Vikings got for the No. 3 pick:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">1st-round pick (4th overall)</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">4th-round pick (118th overall)</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">5th-round pick (139th overall)</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">7th-round pick (211th overall)</span></li>
</ul>
<p>Even before you factor in Richardson's performance, the Vikings won this trade. According to <a href="http://www.footballperspective.com/draft-value-chart/">Chase Stuart's draft value chart</a>, the Vikings swapped 27.6 points of draft value for 33.7 points of draft value. All for moving back one pick.</p>
<p>When you consider how Richardson's career has gone, it's an even better deal. Richardson is going to go down as a below-average No. 3 overall pick. The player the Vikings picked at No. 4, guard Matt Kalil, has been better than Richardson. The 4th-round pick Minnesota got turned into Jarius Wright, who was the team's 3rd-leading receiver in 2014. The 5th-round pick was Robert Blanton, who started 13 games in 2014.</p>
<p>The Vikings didn't hit home runs with all these picks, but they got starters at three different positions out of it. This is what smart teams do. They don't chase individual players in the draft, like the Browns did with Richardson. Bill Belichick — who trades back in the draft more often than anyone — has created the value of <a href="http://grantland.com/the-triangle/bill-belichick-nfl-draft-new-england-patriots/">"the&nbsp;<span>first overall pick, the second overall pick, and the 19th overall pick"</span></a> in trades over the years, according to research by Grantland's Bill Barnwell.</p>
<p>Cleveland was able to recoup some of this lost value by flipping Richardson to Indianapolis for a 1st-round pick (26th overall) a year later. They used that pick as part of a deal to move up and draft Johnny Manziel in 2014.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vikings-won-trent-richardson-trade-2015-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nate-silver-super-bowl-prediction-football-gambling-2015-1">Place your bets — Nate Silver just told us who is going to win the Super Bowl</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-wants-3-million-back-2015-3NFL Draft bust Trent Richardson wants his $3 million back, says Colts fined him for being 3 pounds overweighthttp://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-wants-3-million-back-2015-3
Fri, 13 Mar 2015 09:46:00 -0400Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54b0237beab8ea4e03352a0c-1200-924/trent-richardson-10.jpg" border="0" alt="Trent Richardson"></p><p>The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-contract-guarantees-voided-2015-1">ugly break-up</a> between the Indianapolis Colts and Trent Richardson appears to be just getting started.</p>
<p>After the Colts cut Richardson on Thursday, the former No. 3-overall pick <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12470099/indianapolis-colts-waive-disappointing-rb-trent-richardson">told ESPN's Mike Wells</a> that the team was not justified in suspending him for conduct detrimental to the team. Wells reports that he'll likely file a grievance to get back the $3.1 million in salary that he'll lose by getting cut.</p>
<p>The language in Richardson's contract allowed the Colts to void his 2015 guaranteed salary if he was suspended by the team. He was inactive for Indy's second playoff game against the Denver Broncos, and then suspended for the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots after missing a walkthrough.</p>
<p>Stephen Holder on the Indianapolis Star reported in February that <a href="http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2015/02/17/conduct-detrimental-colts-trent-richardson-odds/23580037/">he missed the walkthrough because</a> of "serious complications with his girlfriend's pregnancy that could potentially have endangered the life of the child." He added that the official reason for the suspension was that he "failed to contact team officials about his absence in a timely manner."</p>
<p>In his postseason press conference, GM Ryan Grigson said the suspension was for "personal reasons," and did not elaborate.</p>
<p>In an interview with Wells, Richardson suggested that disputes over his weight played a part in his suspension. He said the&nbsp;<a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12470099/indianapolis-colts-waive-disappointing-rb-trent-richardson">team repeatedly fined him for being overweight</a> by only three pounds, which isn't grounds for voiding his contract:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"We had made an agreement where I'd weigh 230 pounds, but it turns out that I was supposed to be 227 pounds and they didn't tell me that. We've got a list of things we can use against the Colts where I can get my money back. They were fining me for failing to meet conduct code. Not making weight is not conduct code."</p>
<p>According to Holder, <a href="http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2015/02/17/conduct-detrimental-colts-trent-richardson-odds/23580037/">teams can fine players $545 per day per pound</a> that they're overweight. If Richardson missed making weight 14 times — as Wells reported — he could have potentially racked up nearly $23,000 in weight penalties.</p>
<p>As Richardson says, though, those weight violations alone wouldn't be enough for the Colts to void Richardson's contract under the collective bargaining agreement.</p>
<p>Richardson was a disappointment in Indianapolis after the Colts traded a first-round pick for him in 2013. Despite all his struggles, he's still only 24 years old, and has confidence that he can turn things around.</p>
<p>"Hey, they doubted Marshawn Lynch for three years until he got to Seattle," <a href="http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2015/03/12/colts-waive-trent-richardson/70229002/">he told the Indy Star</a>. "Look at him now."</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-wants-3-million-back-2015-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cristiano-ronaldo-real-madrid-surprise-football-2015-1">Cristiano Ronaldo, wearing a wig and glasses, surprised a young fan on the streets of Madrid</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-contract-guarantees-voided-2015-1The Colts Suspended Trent Richardson, No One Knows Why, And They're Off The Hook For $3 Millionhttp://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-contract-guarantees-voided-2015-1
Tue, 27 Jan 2015 14:39:00 -0500Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54b0237beab8ea4e03352a0c-1200-924/trent-richardson-10.jpg" border="0" alt="Trent Richardson"></p><p>The relationship between Trent Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts appears to be getting ugly.</p>
<p>Richardson was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-trade-cleveland-browns-indianapolis-colts-2015-1">inactive for the team's second playoff game against the Denver Broncos</a>, presumably because he had failed to live up to expectations since the Colts traded for him in 2013. It was the first time in his career he was inactive.</p>
<p>The next week, he was inactive again for the AFC title game against the Patriots.</p>
<p>The day before the game, the Colts announced that <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/12184921/trent-richardson-indianapolis-colts-travel-afc-championship-game-new-england-patriots">Richardson did not travel with the team to Boston because of "personal reasons."</a> There was no further explanation.</p>
<p>Richardson <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/12188457/trent-richardson-indianapolis-colts-family-emergency">told ESPN that he missed a walk-through</a>, but it was for a family emergency. </p>
<p>"I had to miss walk-through. I'm dealing with a very serious family emergency. I'm still at the hospital. I wouldn't purposely just miss walk-through," he said.</p>
<p>Five days after Indianapolis' 45-7 loss in the AFC title game, Colts general manager Ryan Grigson told reporters that <a href="http://www.colts.com/news/article-1/Ryan-Grigson-Recaps-2014-Colts-Season-Previews-2015-Offseason/80a9e37b-4d2f-4857-b2c7-d9bbca835143">Richardson had been suspended for the game</a>. </p>
<p>"He was suspended," Grigson said. "He’s suspended for two games, for personal reasons, so I can’t go into that, but he was suspended."</p>
<p>After Grigson's announcement former Tampa Bay Bucs GM and current ESPN analyst Mark Dominick <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkdominikESPN/status/558725852851372032">speculated that the suspension would void</a> the $3.2 million in guaranteed money that Richardson is owed in 2015, allowing the team to cut him without penalty.</p>
<p>Former agent Joel Corry of CBS confirmed that this is the case. Correy reports that Richardson <a href="https://twitter.com/corryjoel/status/560096240159842304">was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team</a> – a catchall term for any number of violations — and the Colts are now off the hook for his contract next year.</p>
<p>To recap: Richardson was inactive for football reasons against Denver, and then the next week was given a two-game suspension that bridges the 2014 and 2015 seasons, which allows the Colts to cut him without paying him.</p>
<p>While we can only speculate as to the validity of the suspension, there's already talk that the union will challenge it:</p>
<div><div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
I haven't seen Richardson's contract and I don't know what <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Colts?src=hash">#Colts</a> allege he did, but this smells like something the NFLPA will challenge </p>— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/560099827544252416">January 27, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></div>
<div><div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
<a href="https://twitter.com/corryjoel">@corryjoel</a> would expect a grievance... </p>— Andrew Brandt (@adbrandt) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/560096970229166080">January 27, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></div>
<p class="embed-spacer"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br>The Colts traded a first-round pick for Richardson in 2013. The partnership has been a colossal failure, and it appears to be moving toward a messy ending.</span></p>
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<p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-contract-guarantees-voided-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/cold-weather-patriots-balls-deflate-2015-1The Theory That The Patriots Balls Deflated By Themselves Is Full Of Holeshttp://www.businessinsider.com/cold-weather-patriots-balls-deflate-2015-1
Fri, 23 Jan 2015 15:25:00 -0500Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5485c84feab8eaa373249c01-1062-797/tom-brady-f-word-1.jpg" border="0" alt="tom brady f word"></p><p>With Bill Belichick and Tom Brady <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/live-tom-brady-press-conference-2015-1">both issuing strong denials</a>, we still have no idea how 11 of the 12 game balls the Patriots used in the AFC Championship game got deflated.</p>
<p>Is Brady lying? Was a rogue ball boy involved? Did the balls magically deflate by themselves?!</p>
<p>Since the scandal broke the morning after the game, Patriots fans have been passing around a theory that the balls naturally deflated because of the cold weather.</p>
<p>It's one of the only theories that can completely absolve the team of any wrongdoing. It's also full of holes.</p>
<p>While a decrease in temperature would lead to a decrease in air pressure, it wasn't cold enough during the game to account for the type of underinflation that was measured in New England's game balls. In addition, the Colts' game balls would have been underinflated too if it was all about the weather, but they weren't.</p>
<p>By rule, NFL footballs have to be inflated to between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch. Each team brings 12 balls to the game and uses its own on offense.</p>
<p>Brady said <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dqwell-jackson-patriots-used-colts-balls-2015-1">at his press conference</a> that he prefers the air pressure to be 12.5 PSI, and Belichick backed that up by saying the team's policy is to inflate their game balls in the "12.5-pound range."</p>
<p>Two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff, the officials tested the Patriots' balls with a pressure gauge and they were all legal. But when the officials tested the balls at halftime, 11 of the 12 Patriots balls were at least two PSI below the minimum limit of 12.5, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.</p>
<p>New England's game balls went from 12.5 PSI to 10.5 PSI in a matter of hours. Importantly, all 12 Indianapolis game balls <a href="http://mmqb.si.com/2015/01/23/deflategate-patriots-super-bowl-xlix/">were still within the legal range when they were tested at halftime</a>, according to SI's Peter King and other reports.</p>
<p>And there's the first problem with this theory: If you assume the weather caused a pressure decrease of two PSI, Indy's game balls would have failed the test too, even if they were inflated to the maximum limit of 13.5 PSI before the game. That's not what happened. Indy's game balls didn't deflate like New England's did.</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/54bd053f6bb3f7cd132dfccb-1072-601/screen shot 2015-01-19 at 8.21.13 am.png" border="0" alt="referee ball patriots"></p>
<p>But for the sake of argument, let's just forget about that for a second and ask the key question: could the cold weather have caused the balls to deflate?</p>
<p>Let's turn to the science, specifically Gay-Lussac's Law on pressure and temperature.</p>
<p>A bunch of writers and science people, from the <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/0121/Deflategate-Can-science-tell-us-if-the-Patriots-cheated-video">Christian Science Monitor</a> to <a href="http://www.wcsh6.com/story/weather/2015/01/20/inflate-gate-weather-roll/22065861/">WCSH6 in Maine</a>, have run the numbers to see how the change in temperature would have affected the air pressure. In short, pressure is proportional to the temperature. The equation looks like this:</p>
<h3 style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>P1/T1 &nbsp;= &nbsp;P2/T2</strong></h3>
<p>We know the air pressure of the ball before the game was 12.5 PSI.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We know that the temperature outside at kickoff was <a href="http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KOWD/2015/1/18/DailyHistory.html">52 degrees Fahrenheit</a>, an unseasonably warm night in New England. If we assume the ball was inflated in the locker room at a room temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the ball would have undergone a 18-degree temperature change.</p>
<p>Is 18 degrees enough to account for a loss of two PSI?</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Probably not.</span></p>
<p>When you do the math (accounting for atmospheric pressure and converting units to kilopascals and Kelvin), that temperature difference can only account for about ~0.9 PSI of deflation. <a href="http://www.wcvb.com/sports/weather-a-factor-in-deflating-of-footballs-physics-professor-says/30871774">As Boston College physics professor Michael Naughton noted</a>, a 20-degree temperature change could account for a one PSI decrease in air pressure. But for the ball to decrease naturally by two PSI, it would have to undergo a temperature change of 40 degrees.</p>
<p>On the night of the game the temperature&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KOWD/2015/1/18/DailyHistory.html">never dipped below 48.9 degrees</a> before the balls were tested at halftime. For temperature to account for air pressure change, the balls would have had to have been inflated in an 90-degree room.</p>
<p>In conclusion: It wasn't cold enough for the balls to deflate as much as they did. And even if it was, it makes no sense that the Patriots balls deflated more than the Colts balls.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cold-weather-patriots-balls-deflate-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-tipped-patriots-using-deflated-balls-2015-1The NFL Was 'Tipped Off' The Patriots Would Use Deflated Balls Before The AFC Title Gamehttp://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-tipped-patriots-using-deflated-balls-2015-1
Thu, 22 Jan 2015 09:11:00 -0500Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/525bfb4a69bedda83f84c289-1200-900/bill-belichick-4.jpg" border="0" alt="bill belichick"></p><p>The NFL <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPsijUWDsD8">planned to inspect the game balls used in the AFC Championship Game</a> at halftime after getting a pregame tip that the New England Patriots were using underinflated balls, Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reports.</p>
<p>According to Glazer, the Colts were "tipped off" before the game, a 45-7 Patriots victory, possibly by the Baltimore Ravens, and they told the NFL to look into it.</p>
<p>Here's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPsijUWDsD8">what Glazer said on Fox Sports 1</a> on Wednesday night:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">The Indianapolis Colts, they were tipped off to this before the game ever even happened. Whether or not it was from the last time they played them ... I was told it was actually from people inside Baltimore. They were tipped off about it. So they informed the league.</p>
<p>Bob Glauber of Newsday reported earlier in the week that <a href="http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/super-bowl/nfl-opens-patriots-deflated-football-probe-after-afc-championship-win-1.9821346">the scandal started after Colts linebacker D'Qwell Jackson intercepted Tom Brady early in the second quarter</a>. According to Glauber, a Colts equipment manager noticed that the ball felt deflated, so he told the head coach, who told the general manager, who told a high-ranking NFL official, who told the referees on the field.</p>
<p>But Glazer says the balls would have been inspected at halftime no matter what because the league had heard rumors about this type of thing.</p>
<p>"Here's the bottom line: The league was already tipped off," Glazer said. "So they were already planning at halftime to inspect the balls, despite the interception that happened with D'Qwell Jackson."</p>
<p>Glazer says the balls were found to be deflated at halftime but were reinflated for use in the second half.</p>
<p>The Colts previously played the Patriots on Nov. 16. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that <a href="http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/12202450/nfl-says-new-england-patriots-had-inflated-footballs-afc-championship-game">the Colts had "concerns" about ball inflation during that game</a> and informed the league.</p>
<p>The Ravens played the Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs. While there was a report that a player on the Ravens special teams felt the special "k-balls" that are used for kicking were underinflated, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/1/21/7864957/patriots-deflated-kicking-balls-ravens-colts">that claim has been thoroughly debunked</a>.</p>
<p>We still don't know <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/patriots-footballs-deflated-theories-2015-1">how 11 of the 12 balls the Patriots used on offense got deflated</a>.</p>
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<h3><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vintage-sneakers-classic-editions-shop-2015-1"></a></strong></h3><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-tipped-patriots-using-deflated-balls-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-official-patriots-deflated-deflategate-2015-1Former NFL Ref Is Convinced The Patriots Intentionally Deflated Balls In The AFC Title Gamehttp://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-official-patriots-deflated-deflategate-2015-1
Wed, 21 Jan 2015 15:25:00 -0500Cork Gaines
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54be634a69beddca1cd27823-801-601/referee-ball-patriots.png" border="0" alt="referee ball patriots"></p><p>Former NFL referee Gerry Austin was a guest on ESPN Radio's "Mike &amp; Mike Show" and made it clear that he believes somebody from the New England Patriots intentionally deflated the game balls the team used on offense during its AFC Championship Game win over the Indianapolis Colts.</p>
<p>When asked about <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/patriots-footballs-deflated-theories-2015-1">how the balls could have become deflated</a>, he said he was convinced there was only one way that could have happened.</p>
<p>"My understanding is, all 12 balls were under the 13 pounds [pressure limit*]," Austin told the show. "But 11 of them were more than 2 pounds under the 13 pounds. And I take away from that somebody has let some air out of the balls."</p>
<p>Austin also debunked the common explanation that the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/patriots-footballs-deflated-theories-2015-1">pressure in the balls was lower because of the cold air</a>.</p>
<p>"Both team's balls were brought in at halftime to my understanding and all 24 balls were checked," Austin said. "The Colts' balls were still up to 13 pounds and the Patriots' balls were not."</p>
<p>Austin also said he had never seen a situation like this as an official, noting that he had never been in a situation where he or his crew were asked to remeasure the pressure in balls after the game started.</p>
<p>Fox's officiating expert Mike Pereira said something similar on Wednesday. Here's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSHXKSBzuCk&amp;feature=youtu.be">how he described what he believes happened to the balls</a>:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">[The balls] leave the locker room before the game. They go into the hands of the ball boys, and the extra balls are put at the replay monitor where there's a guard standing by that monitor. Well somebody got to somebody and took a couple of pounds out of the balls.</p>
<p>We still don't know <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-rule-patriots-punishment-2015-1">if or how the Patriots will be punished</a>. </p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/54c005c269bedd4c1a46aaed-1200-600/indianapolis-colts-and-new-england-patriots-fans.jpg" border="0" alt="Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots fans"></p>
<p>* <em>The balls are allowed a half-pound margin of error, so the actual pressure requirement is 12.5-13.5 pounds per square inch.</em></p>
<p><em> </em></p>
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<p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-official-patriots-deflated-deflategate-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-rule-patriots-punishment-2015-1Here's The Rule That Lets The NFL Punish The Patriots However It Wantshttp://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-rule-patriots-punishment-2015-1
Wed, 21 Jan 2015 11:33:00 -0500Cork Gaines
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54bfd0156bb3f76d5a01c452-620-/bill-belichick-29.jpg" border="0" alt="Bill Belichick" width="620"></p><p>Of the 12 balls used by the New England Patriots during their big win in the AFC title game over the Indianapolis Colts, 11 were underinflated, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/report-patriots-used-deflated-balls-2015-1">according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen</a>.</p>
<p>The next step for the NFL is to try to determine whether the balls were intentionally deflated after being inspected by the game officials and what, if any, punishment the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick should receive.</p>
<p>If the NFL does decide punishment is needed, the league can do pretty much whatever it wants to the Patriots, according to the NFL Rule Book.</p>
<p>If the Patriots did indeed intentionally deflate the footballs, "Deflategate" could fall under the category of "Unfair Acts," which is <a href="http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/unfairacts">defined by the NFL Rule Book</a> as "any club action, nonparticipant interference, or emergency [that] occurs in an NFL game which [the commissioner] deems so unfair or outside the accepted tactics encountered in professional football that such action has a major effect on the result of a game."</p>
<p>The penalties for Unfair Acts appear to be unlimited and range from a minimum of fines, suspensions, and lost draft picks, all the way to giving commissioner Roger Goodell the power to replay the game or even rule it a forfeit:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>The Commissioner’s powers under this section (UNFAIR ACTS) include the imposition of monetary fines and draft choice forfeitures, suspension of persons involved, and, if appropriate, the reversal of a game’s result or the rescheduling of a game, either from the beginning or from the point at which the extraordinary act occurred.</strong></p>
<p>It seems impossible that the commissioner would hand down the harshest possible punishment. Not only would it be a logistical nightmare to replay the game or rule it a forfeit, Goodell would need evidence that the Patriots using deflated balls had "a major effect on the result of a game" that ended in a 45-7 win.</p>
<p>But if the Patriots, a team that already has a history of skirting NFL rules, are found guilty, it is easy to imagine them losing multiple draft picks as well as a suspension for Bill Belichick — even if that means he has to sit out the Super Bowl itself.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-rule-patriots-punishment-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/advantage-of-deflated-footballs-2015-1Why Using Deflated Footballs Gave The Patriots A Huge Advantagehttp://www.businessinsider.com/advantage-of-deflated-footballs-2015-1
Wed, 21 Jan 2015 10:11:00 -0500Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/542ad2a969bedd5a1bd146a9-1200-924/tom-brady-and-bill-belichick-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Tom Brady and Bill Belichick"></p><p>The NFL discovered that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/report-patriots-used-deflated-balls-2015-1">11 of the 12 balls that the New England Patriots were using during the AFC title game were underinflated</a>, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.</p>
<p>While it's still unclear if the balls were intentionally deflated, experts agree that using underinflated footballs gives the offense an unfair edge.</p>
<p>"There's a huge advantage to having a deflated football," former NFL quarterback Mark Brunell said on SportsCenter. "It's like a basketball — if you take a little air out of it, it's easier to palm it."</p>
<p>Taking air out of the ball makes it softer, and thus easier to grip, throw, and catch. NFL teams each bring 12 balls to the game and use their own on offense, so only the Patriots would have benefitted from the deflated balls.</p>
<p>Ainissa Ramirez, the author of a football-science book called "Newton's Football," <a href="http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&amp;t=1&amp;islist=false&amp;id=378581349&amp;m=378660107">explained on NPR</a>:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">The ball is slightly squishier. And particularly during the [Patriots-Colts game], which was kind of rainy, it's harder to hold the ball, it's hard to catch the ball. So by making it a little softer, it's easier to catch the ball.</p>
<p>Brunell said cold, rainy weather makes the ball tougher to grip, which is why a lot of quarterbacks wear gloves on their throwing hands when the temperature drops.</p>
<p>"Sometimes it feels like you're throwing a rock in those conditions," he said.</p>
<p>A source told MMQB's Peter King that <a href="http://mmqb.si.com/2015/01/20/patriots-deflated-footballs-colts-nfl-mailbag/">it's all about the grip</a>.</p>
<p>"For a quarterback on a very cold and rainy day, if he’s gripping a rock-hard football, that’s different than gripping a football that is softer and has some give to it," the source said. "If you take a pound [of pressure] out of the footballs, that could be a significant difference in handling the ball."</p>
<p>The balls the Patriots were using were actually two pounds of pressure below the minimum threshold, so the advantage would have been significant.</p>
<p>While some have suggested that the underinflation could have happened naturally because of the cold weather, <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2015/01/physicist_cold_weather_couldn_t_have_deflated_patriots_footballs">a Boston College physicist told the Boston Herald</a>, "<span>If the footballs were notably lower pressure, then the only way it could have happened was if someone went in and stuck a needle in the ball and let two-thirds of the gas out, which means it is now up to the NFL to follow the chain of command — but no logical physics can explain the kind of pressure loss they’re talking about."</span></p>
<p>Green Bay Packers quarterback <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/12201369/aaron-rodgers-green-bay-packers-upset-referees-take-air-footballs">Aaron Rodgers said on ESPN Radio</a> that he prefers the ball to be slightly overinflated, although he acknowledged that using a deflated ball can give you an edge.</p>
<p><span>"There is, if you don't have strong grip pressure or smaller hands, an advantage to having a flat football, though, because that is easier to throw," he said.</span></p>
<p>Did the Patriots only win 45-7 because they were using underinflated balls?</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>But it's not a frivolous issue, either. If the league's findings are true, the Patriots benefitted from using light balls on Sunday, no matter how they got that way.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/advantage-of-deflated-footballs-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/report-patriots-used-deflated-balls-2015-1NFL Finds 11 Of 12 Patriots Balls Were Underinflated During AFC Title Gamehttp://www.businessinsider.com/report-patriots-used-deflated-balls-2015-1
Wed, 21 Jan 2015 07:33:00 -0500Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54be633eecad0432275a6778-1143-857/belichick-9.jpg" border="0" alt="belichick"></p><p>An NFL investigation has found that <a href="http://espn.go.com/boston/story/_/id/12202450/nfl-says-new-england-patriots-had-inflated-footballs-afc-championship-game">11 of the 12 balls the New England Patriots used on offense in the AFC title game were underinflated</a>, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports.</p>
<p>NFL teams each bring 12 balls to the game and use their own. The balls, which <span>have to be inflated to between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch,</span> are inspected two hours, 15 minutes before kickoff.</p>
<p>According to Mortensen, New England's game balls were inflated to about 10.5 pounds per square inch during the team's 45-7 rout of the Indianapolis Colts.</p>
<p>In theory, an underinflated ball would be easier to hold, catch, and throw. </p>
<p>One source told Mortensen that the league was "disappointed ... angry ... distraught."</p>
<p>We still don't know how the balls got deflated, which is the key to all of this.</p>
<p>Bob Kravitz of WTHR reported on Sunday that <a href="https://twitter.com/bkravitz/status/557055227271315456">the team could be fined and have draft picks taken away</a> if it is found to have deflated the balls intentionally.</p>
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<h3> </h3><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/report-patriots-used-deflated-balls-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/patriots-deflated-ball-investigation-colts-2015-1The Colts Told The NFL That A Ball Felt Suspiciously Light After An Interception During AFC Title Gamehttp://www.businessinsider.com/patriots-deflated-ball-investigation-colts-2015-1
Tue, 20 Jan 2015 09:22:00 -0500Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54be633eecad0432275a6778-1143-857/belichick-9.jpg" border="0" alt="belichick"></p><p>The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/patriots-investigated-deflating-balls-2015-1">NFL's investigation</a> into whether the New England Patriots were using improperly inflated balls during the AFC Championship game <a href="http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/super-bowl/nfl-opens-patriots-deflated-football-probe-after-afc-championship-win-1.9821346">started after an interception in the second quarter</a>, Bob Glauber of Newsday reports.</p>
<p>NFL teams use their own balls on offense. With 9:21 left in the second quarter, Colts linebacker D'Qwell Jackson got his hands on one of the balls the Pats were using when he picked off Tom Brady.</p>
<p>According to Glauber, Jackson gave the ball to an equipment manager on the sideline. The equipment manager thought the ball was suspiciously light, and he sent his suspicions up the chain of command. He told coach Chuck Pagano about the ball. Pagano told general manager Ryan Grigson. And Grigson told NFL Director of Football Operations Mike Kensil, who told the referees at halftime.</p>
<p>On the first play of the second half, there was a delay when a ball that the Patriots were using was taken out of play.</p>
<p>Here's the official switching out the balls:</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54bd053f6bb3f7cd132dfccb-1072-601/screen%20shot%202015-01-19%20at%208.21.13%20am.png" border="0" alt="referee ball patriots" width="857" height="481"></p>
<p>By rule, balls must be inflated to between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch. Teams provide and use their own balls, but they are inspected by the referee two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff. In theory, deflating a ball makes it softer and easier to catch and throw, especially in the rain.</p>
<p>While the Patriots were using different balls from the Colts on offense, it's not like no one else could feel how heavy they were. The official who spotted the ball had his hands on New England's footballs before every play. According to ProFootballTalk, several <a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/19/source-several-abnormal-balls-were-removed-from-colts-pats-game/">"abnormal" balls</a> were removed from play during the game.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/patriots-deflated-ball-investigation-colts-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-lucks-running-2015-1Bill Belichick Describes The Underrated Reason Andrew Luck Is So Goodhttp://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-lucks-running-2015-1
Sun, 18 Jan 2015 11:25:00 -0500Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54b973fc69bedd2513d23c95-1065-799/andrew-luck-colts-5.jpg" border="0" alt="andrew luck colts"></p><p>On the eve of the New England's matchup with Indianapolis in the AFC championship game, Patriots coach Bill Belichick gushed about an often-ignored part of Andrew Luck's game: his running ability.</p>
<p>Luck is usually depicted as the prototypical pro-style quarterback — a tall, strong-armed guy who picks defenses apart from his perch within the pocket.</p>
<p>But Luck's speed and elusiveness are a big part of what makes him so good. </p>
<p>Here's <a href="http://www.patriots.com/news/article-1/Patriots-Quotes-114-Bill-Belichick-Tom-Brady-and-more/dd25c6d3-e4ca-4617-b4a7-d0a987b5a822">how Belichick described it</a>:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Well, Luck is hard to bring down. He runs very well, he's athletic, [and] he can get outside and make yards with his legs. They also use him on some keep-type plays — the one he scored on for example in the Denver game last week. And he's strong; he's strong in the pocket. He's got good lower-body strength. He's got strong legs. He's hard to wrap up.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">A lot of times, he's got guys draped all over him and he can throw the ball. He's strong, he's fast, [and] he's athletic. He does a good job of throwing on the run. He's got good vision down the field. So, he can be a sixth receiver in the passing game. [He's a] really dangerous guy, tough guy to handle, great quarterback."</p>
<p>Luck has 13 rushes of 10 yards or more this year, which is more than any Colts running back. He actually has a faster 40-yard-dash time than Johnny Manziel, so he can outrun guys if he needs to.</p>
<p>Against the Browns in Week 14, he escaped the rush, froze two defenders with a juke, and scored a touchdown:</p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54b966c6eab8ea9f6be0458a/andrew-luck-juke.gif" border="0" alt="andrew luck juke"></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Against the Ravens in Week 5, he completely blew by a linebacker on his way to the end zone:</span></p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54b966c66bb3f72d3587b1e4/andrew-luck-touchdown.gif" border="0" alt="andrew luck touchdown"></p>
<p>But scrambling is only a part of how Luck uses his speed.</p>
<p>One of Luck's greatest areas of improvement since coming into the NFL is his ability to avoid sacks. During his rookie year, in 2012, he got sacked on 6.1% of his passing attempts. This year he trimmed that sack rate to 4.2%, good enough for eighth in the NFL despite a suspect offensive line.</p>
<p>In Week 6 against Houston, he shuffled away from J.J. Watt and picked up a first down:</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/54b966c669bedd9659d23c97/andrew-luck-avoid-sack.gif" border="0" alt="andrew luck avoid sack"></p>
<p>At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Luck is also strong enough to break tackles. In Week 3 against Jacksonville he shrugged off a sack and picked up a first down:</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54b966c669bedd9359d23c97/andrew-luck-scramble.gif" border="0" alt="andrew luck scramble"></p>
<p>Because you have to account for the running ability of Luck, it is harder to play man-to-man defense against him.</p>
<p>In Week 12, the Jaguars tried to play man, and Luck scampered for 20 yards:</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/54b966c6eab8ead26ae0458a/luck-scramble.gif" border="0" alt="luck scramble"></p>
<p>Luck isn't as good a runner as Russell Wilson or Colin Kaepernick, but he doesn't have to be. The tricky thing about him is that he's <em>just</em> good enough of a runner to make defenses plan for it.</p>
<h3><strong><br>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/frozen-trampoline-jump-in-minnesota-2015-1">Wild Video Of A Man Jumping On A Frozen Trampoline In Frigid Cold Minnesota</a></strong></h3>
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<h3> </h3><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-lucks-running-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-seattle-seahawks-nfl-final-four-2015-1The Seattle Seahawks Are The Hottest Team Among The NFL's Final Fourhttp://www.businessinsider.com/chart-seattle-seahawks-nfl-final-four-2015-1
Sun, 18 Jan 2015 09:30:00 -0500Cork Gaines
<p>After two weeks of playoffs just four teams are still alive in the NFL and among those, no team is as hot as the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks.</p>
<p>Since starting the season just 3-3, the Seahawks have won ten of 11 games en route to the NFC championship game and they are doing it in dominating fashion. At the midpoint of the regular season, the Seahawks had outscored their opponents by just 22 points, worst among the teams still alive. Since that time, Seattle has outscored their opponents by 132 points, 20 more than any of the other three teams.</p>
<p>The Indianapolis Colts are last among the four remaining playoff teams. However, things have been better recently, outscoring their opponents by 59 points since week 11, second only to the Seahawks during that stretch, albeit with the help of an extra playoff game.</p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54b42202eab8eaa903c9b87a-800-600/01-705.png" border="0" alt="NFL playoffs chart"></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-seattle-seahawks-nfl-final-four-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-lucks-running-2015-1Bill Belichick Describes The Underrated Reason Andrew Luck Is So Goodhttp://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-lucks-running-2015-1
Fri, 16 Jan 2015 15:42:00 -0500Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54b973fc69bedd2513d23c95-1065-799/andrew-luck-colts-5.jpg" border="0" alt="andrew luck colts"></p><p>On the eve of the New England's matchup with Indianapolis in the AFC championship game, Patriots coach Bill Belichick gushed about an often-ignored part of Andrew Luck's game: his running ability.</p>
<p>Luck is usually depicted as the prototypical pro-style quarterback — a tall, strong-armed guy who picks defenses apart from his perch within the pocket.</p>
<p>But Luck's speed and elusiveness are a big part of what makes him so good. </p>
<p>Here's <a href="http://www.patriots.com/news/article-1/Patriots-Quotes-114-Bill-Belichick-Tom-Brady-and-more/dd25c6d3-e4ca-4617-b4a7-d0a987b5a822">how Belichick described it</a>:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Well, Luck is hard to bring down. He runs very well, he's athletic, [and] he can get outside and make yards with his legs. They also use him on some keep-type plays — the one he scored on for example in the Denver game last week. And he's strong; he's strong in the pocket. He's got good lower-body strength. He's got strong legs. He's hard to wrap up.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">A lot of times, he's got guys draped all over him and he can throw the ball. He's strong, he's fast, [and] he's athletic. He does a good job of throwing on the run. He's got good vision down the field. So, he can be a sixth receiver in the passing game. [He's a] really dangerous guy, tough guy to handle, great quarterback."</p>
<p>Luck has 13 rushes of 10 yards or more this year, which is more than any Colts running back. He actually has a faster 40-yard-dash time than Johnny Manziel, so he can outrun guys if he needs to.</p>
<p>Against the Browns in Week 14, he escaped the rush, froze two defenders with a juke, and scored a touchdown:</p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54b966c6eab8ea9f6be0458a/andrew-luck-juke.gif" border="0" alt="andrew luck juke"></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Against the Ravens in Week 5, he completely blew by a linebacker on his way to the end zone:</span></p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54b966c66bb3f72d3587b1e4/andrew-luck-touchdown.gif" border="0" alt="andrew luck touchdown"></p>
<p>But scrambling is only a part of how Luck uses his speed.</p>
<p>One of Luck's greatest areas of improvement since coming into the NFL is his ability to avoid sacks. During his rookie year, in 2012, he got sacked on 6.1% of his passing attempts. This year he trimmed that sack rate to 4.2%, good enough for eighth in the NFL despite a suspect offensive line.</p>
<p>In Week 6 against Houston, he shuffled away from J.J. Watt and picked up a first down:</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/54b966c669bedd9659d23c97/andrew-luck-avoid-sack.gif" border="0" alt="andrew luck avoid sack"></p>
<p>At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Luck is also strong enough to break tackles. In Week 3 against Jacksonville he shrugged off a sack and picked up a first down:</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54b966c669bedd9359d23c97/andrew-luck-scramble.gif" border="0" alt="andrew luck scramble"></p>
<p>Because you have to account for the running ability of Luck, it is harder to play man-to-man defense against him.</p>
<p>In Week 12, the Jaguars tried to play man, and Luck scampered for 20 yards:</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/54b966c6eab8ead26ae0458a/luck-scramble.gif" border="0" alt="luck scramble"></p>
<p>Luck isn't as good a runner as Russell Wilson or Colin Kaepernick, but he doesn't have to be. The tricky thing about him is that he's <em>just</em> good enough of a runner to make defenses plan for it.</p>
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<h3><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/frozen-trampoline-jump-in-minnesota-2015-1"></a></strong></h3><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-lucks-running-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/indianapolis-colts-payroll-nfl-playoffs-2015-1The Indianapolis Colts' Payroll Pales In Comparison To The Other Teams Still Competing For The Super Bowlhttp://www.businessinsider.com/indianapolis-colts-payroll-nfl-playoffs-2015-1
Thu, 15 Jan 2015 16:25:00 -0500Cork Gaines
<p>Among the four teams that will compete in this weekend's conference championship games, the New England Patriots have the largest payroll, barely edging out the Green Bay Packers. At the other end, the Indianapolis Colts are well-behind the other three teams.</p>
<p>If we take a closer look we can see that the four teams spend money on their roster in much different ways according to <a href="http://www.spotrac.com/">data obtained from Spotrac.com</a>. For example, the Packers have the most expensive starting offense ($44.0 million) and defense ($44.9 million) but have only spent more than the Seahawks on back-ups and special teams players .</p>
<p>The Seahawks may be the unluckiest of the four teams with the most money dedicated to players on the injured reserve ($17.0 million) and a close second to the Patriots ($18.6 million) in dead money ($18.1 million), which is the amount of cap space allocated to players no longer on each team.</p>
<p>Here is the full breakdown.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54b81a1469beddb04eb5bc30-800-600/01-709.png" border="0" alt="NFL Playoffs Chart"></p>
<p>Total in the chart above does not include all of the money spent on players. Small items such as practice squad players and non-football injured players are not included.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/indianapolis-colts-payroll-nfl-playoffs-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-seattle-seahawks-nfl-final-four-2015-1The Seattle Seahawks Are The Hottest Team Among The NFL's Final Fourhttp://www.businessinsider.com/chart-seattle-seahawks-nfl-final-four-2015-1
Mon, 12 Jan 2015 14:51:00 -0500Cork Gaines
<p>After two weeks of playoffs just four teams are still alive in the NFL and among those, no team is as hot as the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks.</p>
<p>Since starting the season just 3-3, the Seahawks have won ten of 11 games en route to the NFC championship game and they are doing it in dominating fashion. At the midpoint of the regular season, the Seahawks had outscored their opponents by just 22 points, worst among the teams still alive. Since that time, Seattle has outscored their opponents by 132 points, 20 more than any of the other three teams.</p>
<p>The Indianapolis Colts are last among the four remaining playoff teams. However, things have been better recently, outscoring their opponents by 59 points since week 11, second only to the Seahawks during that stretch, albeit with the help of an extra playoff game.</p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54b42202eab8eaa903c9b87a-800-600/01-705.png" border="0" alt="NFL playoffs chart"></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-seattle-seahawks-nfl-final-four-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-trade-cleveland-browns-indianapolis-colts-2015-1The Trent Richardson Trade Has Hit Rock Bottom For The Indianapolis Coltshttp://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-trade-cleveland-browns-indianapolis-colts-2015-1
Sun, 11 Jan 2015 15:18:31 -0500Cork Gaines
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54b0237beab8ea4e03352a0c-620-/trent-richardson-10.jpg" border="0" alt="Trent Richardson" width="620"></p><p>Just 16 months after the Indianapolis Colts traded a first-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for running back Trent Richardson, the deal has hit a new low.</p>
<p><span>Richardson </span><span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/greggrosenthal/status/554368529911123968">is inactive </a><a href="On%20top%20of%20that,%20Richardson%20is%20inactive%20today,%20and%20will%20not%20play%20in%20the%20Colts'%20playoff%20game%20against%20the%20Broncos.">Sunday</a><span>, and will not play in the Colts' playoff game against the Broncos.</span></p>
<p>This comes one week after being demoted to third string on the depth chart and not receiving any carries in the Colts' wild-card playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals. This week, Richardson practiced with the Colts' punt team, <a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000455379/article/trent-richardson-practices-on-colts-punt-coverage">according to Conor Orr of NFL.com</a>.</p>
<p>It was already clear that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/browns-trent-richardson-trade-2014-12">the Browns won this trade</a> even though they were criticized for the move when it happened, trading away a number-three overall pick after just 17 games in the NFL.</p>
<p>But even then, Richardson was still a part of the Colts' offense, receiving at least 17 carries and catches in five of the first seven games this season. However, in the final five games of the regular season, Richardson averaged just 6.4 carries per game and had just six catches in the final seven games.</p>
<p>Then came the first round of the playoffs. Richardson was demoted and was on the field for just one offensive snap.</p>
<p>Now, he's not even on the active roster.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-trade-cleveland-browns-indianapolis-colts-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-trade-cleveland-browns-indianapolis-colts-2015-1The Trent Richardson Trade Has Hit Rock Bottom For The Indianapolis Coltshttp://www.businessinsider.com/trent-richardson-trade-cleveland-browns-indianapolis-colts-2015-1
Fri, 09 Jan 2015 14:07:00 -0500Cork Gaines
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54b0237beab8ea4e03352a0c-620-/trent-richardson-10.jpg" border="0" alt="Trent Richardson" width="620"></p><p>Just 16 months after the Indianapolis Colts traded a first-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for running back Trent Richardson, the deal has hit a new low.</p>
<p><span>Richardson </span><span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/greggrosenthal/status/554368529911123968">is inactive </a><a href="On%20top%20of%20that,%20Richardson%20is%20inactive%20today,%20and%20will%20not%20play%20in%20the%20Colts'%20playoff%20game%20against%20the%20Broncos.">Sunday</a><span>, and will not play in the Colts' playoff game against the Broncos.</span></p>
<p>This comes one week after being demoted to third string on the depth chart and not receiving any carries in the Colts' wild-card playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals. This week, Richardson practiced with the Colts' punt team, <a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000455379/article/trent-richardson-practices-on-colts-punt-coverage">according to Conor Orr of NFL.com</a>.</p>
<p>It was already clear that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/browns-trent-richardson-trade-2014-12">the Browns won this trade</a> even though they were criticized for the move when it happened, trading away a number-three overall pick after just 17 games in the NFL.</p>
<p>But even then, Richardson was still a part of the Colts' offense, receiving at least 17 carries and catches in five of the first seven games this season. However, in the final five games of the regular season, Richardson averaged just 6.4 carries per game and had just six catches in the final seven games.</p>
<p>Then came the first round of the playoffs. Richardson was demoted and was on the field for just one offensive snap.</p>
<p>Now, he's not even on the active roster.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3><strong>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cheap-gym-membership-deals-2015-1">Your Gym Is Ripping You Off — Here's How To Get A Cheaper Membership</a></strong></h3>
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Mon, 15 Dec 2014 13:35:00 -0500Tony Manfred
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/548f2835eab8ea4631b5e4b3-802-601/andrew-luck-31.jpg" border="0" alt="andrew luck"></p><p>It's official: The hot new trend in trash-talk is refusing to talk trash.</p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/andrew-luck-the-nfls-most-perplexing-trash-talker-1418663249">an article from Kevin Clark of The Wall Street Journal</a>, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck makes a point to congratulate his opponent whenever he gets sacked. It drives them nuts.</p>
<p>Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll told a story about getting totally thrown off by Luck being nice to him after a big play:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Carroll was walking back to the huddle when he heard “Great job, Nolan!” He turned around, searching for the person who said it—maybe it was a teammate, he thought. “Then I realized it was Luck who said it. I’m like ‘what’s going on? aren’t you supposed to be mad?’” Carroll said. “So then I’m the one who gets ticked off because an upbeat attitude isn’t something you see.”</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">(...)</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">“You know if you hear a quarterback get mad, you are in his head,” Carroll said. “With Luck, you thought you hurt the guy, you hear ‘good job’ and you just say ‘aw, man.’”</p>
<p>The big question is whether this is a tactic or a personality trait. The WSJ story leaves it unanswered, but across multiple sports, we're seeing traditional trash-talk — vulgar, mean-spirited insults designed to distract the mind — being replaced by intentional niceness.</p>
<p>Oregon quarterback and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/2015-nfl-draft-big-board-2014-11">number-one draft prospect</a> Marcus Mariota <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/marcus-mariota-too-nice-2014-11">practices this sort of anti-trash-talk</a>. While an unnamed National Football League executive criticized Mariota for being "too nice," one teammate <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/11/20/oregons-marcus-mariota-an-excellent-player-and-emergent-leader/19322819/">told USA Today</a> he gets in opponents' heads by complimenting them during games.</p>
<p>"The guy just gets even more mad," the teammate said of Mariota's tactic. "It's awesome. When they see it didn't faze Marcus, it gets them more upset."</p>
<p>LeBron James does it too.</p>
<p>For all his transcendent skill and athleticism, James isn't above mind games (remember when <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2014/07/16/lebron-james-gilbert-arenas-moment-from-game-6-of-2006-playoff-series-still-galls-steve-buckhantz/">he psyched out Gilbert Arenas during the 2006 playoffs</a>).</p>
<p>In 2013 <a href="http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/8924289/kobe-bryant-feels-pain-rajon-rondo-boston-celtics">Kobe Bryant told ESPN that James laughs in your face</a> if you talk trash to him:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">I say everything to LeBron. He says nothing back. He just laughs. There's no banter back and forth. I guess it's a generational thing. When I first came into the league, the trash talk was downright cutthroat.</p>
<p>Trash-talk is out. Psychosis-inducing kindness is in.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3><strong>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-steve-ballmer-nba-team-2014-12">How Mark Cuban Paved The Way For Steve Ballmer's NBA Investment</a></strong></h3>
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